March 2, 2017 by The Collegiate Times

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112th YEAR, ISSUE 212

March 2, 2017

COLLEGIATETIMES An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

Man robs local mosque, case remains active A mosque in the New River Valley lost an estimated $800–1000. LEWIS MILLHOLLAND managing editor

KAILA NATHANIEL / COLLEGIATE TIMES An art professor and a visual communication design professor are collaborating with the Mechanical Engineering Department to create 3-D printed body panels (not shown) for the humanoid ESCHER robot, March 1, 2017.

Revolution by robot

First glance at future of firefighting ESCHER, Virginia Tech’s full-sized humanoid, is a flame-resistant robot that blends artistic and mechanical elements for rescue purposes. CLAIRE CONNOR news reporter

Virginia Tech’s Visual Arts Depa r t ment a nd Engi neer i ng Department have been joining forces to design ESCHER, a firefighting robot. ESCHER was originally created at the beginning of 2015 in the Terrestrial Robotics Engineering and Controls Laboratory. ESCHER is short for Electronic Series Compliant Humanoid for Emergency Response. “The special application for this project is the idea that ESCHER could go on naval ships and fight fires and go places that would normally be hazardous to humans,” said Meaghan Dee, assistant professor and chair of Visual Communications. “If you think of something like the Fukushima Disaster, you could have just sent in a robot, and that’s what these emergency robots are designed to do.” In late 2015, ESCHER competed in the Defense Advanced Research

Projects Agency (DARPA) challenge, led by Professor Tomonari Furukawa, Associate Professor Alexander Leonessa and Affiliate Professor Dr. Brian Lattimer. The competition tests a robot’s ability to perform complicated tasks in a mock disaster scenario. “ESCHER is one of the lightestweight, low-noise and longest run-time, full-size humanoids in the challenge,” Lattimer explained to VT News before the competition. ESCHER is a full-size robot standing at 5 feet and 10 inches and weighing roughly 165 pounds. It’s programmed with a walking and balancing algorithm that allows it to move across terrain and react to disturbances. Recently, a team of artists and engineers have been collaborating to create high resistance paneling for ESCHER’s exterior that will allow it to withstand extreme heat, impact and water. The team received a grant of $25,000 from The Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) for the protective

paneling, which they’ve been using to complete color, form and brand studies to improve the exterior appearance of ESCHER. According to the website, the primary purpose of the body paneling is to “promote familiarity with the human workers it interacts with on the job” as well as provide “environmental protection, impact resistance to vulnerable elements and high visibility.” In addition to Lattimer and Dee, the exterior paneling team consists of Sam Blanchard, assistant professor of studio art at the School of Visual Arts, and Phat Nguyen, a graduate student in Creative Technologies program at Virginia Tech. Graham Day was also a main contributor to the paneling. Their backgrounds range from working on 3D interactive sculptures to designing, fielding and fabricating robots. The ESCHER artists and engineers see ESCHER / page 3

At around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, a man entered the Islamic Society of New River Valley mosque (ISNRV) through an unlocked basement window. The intruder broke the locks off of the collection boxes and stole the previous day’s donations, which mosque officials estimate to be $800–1,000. Two days later, a Virginia Tech student launched a GoFundMe campaign for the local community and members’ relatives living elsewhere to support the ISNRV. In the mere seven-and-a-half hours the campaign was live, contributions totaled $3,685. ISNRV officials asked the student to suspend the campaign until the police conclude their investigation. The mosque is not sure if the funds raised will ultimately be collected — that will depend on the outcome of the investigation, among other factors. Regardless, the sentiment had a significant impact on the congregation. A Blacksburg-local doctoral student who has attended the mosque for nearly 20 years shared his experience of scrolling through the list of donors on the GoFundMe page. “A lot of times when you see something like this, it’s usually just Muslim names, but to see non-Muslim names, to see Americans, and getting messages from people … it’s refreshing to hear, it’s really, really nice,” the local said. (This article refers to the local as X in order to respect the ISNRV member’s request

to remain anonymous while the investigation remains active.) When the congregation first learned of the burglary later on Saturday, X said “most people were upset” and “people were wondering whether or not they were safe.” However, since no property was damaged other than the collection boxes, mosque leaders concluded that the crime was motivated by financial gain rather than prejudice.

“

We made a point not to vilify this individual. Had he come in with malicious intent ... perhaps our view of him would be different.”

Islamic Society of New River Valley member

After this announcement, members “seemed to be more at ease, (and) felt safer.” Regular services were held that same day. “We’ve made a point not to vilify this individual. Had he come in with malicious intent and a spray can and those sort of things, perhaps our view of him would look different,” X said. “He seemed to be someone who may have been in need, so we don’t necessarily think this person was evil, or bad.” A recently installed security system captured much of the incident. Video see ROBBERY / page 3

Hokies exit ACC McAlister’s falls short of Panera tournament after McAlister’s Deli is new to Blacksburg, but when this Mississippi-based restaurant chain goes up against Panera, it doesn’t exactly measure up. loss to Clemson Despite another double-double from Regan Magarity, the Hokies lost a onepoint heartbreaker to the Tigers. TODD SMITH women’s basketball beat reporter

Wednesday afternoon marked the beginning of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament in Conway, Sout h Ca rol i na. T he Virginia Tech Hokies, who came in as the 12 seed in the tournament, were part of the opening tip against the 13-seed Clemson Tigers. After a promising start to the season, Virginia Tech suffered yet another heartbreaking setback, falling to Clemson 67–66 on a go-ahead free throw with one second left. The Hokies came in on a high note, after snapping their 11-game losing streak on Sunday against last place Boston College, improving their record to 17–12 (4–12 in the ACC). Clemson, on the other hand, came limping into the ACC tournament riding a four-game losing streak of its own and a sub .500 record of 14–15 (3–13 ACC).

The previous meeting between these two teams in early January featured an almost completely different Virginia Tech squad that entered the affair 14–0 and ranked 18th in the country. The result that day also differed from Wednesday’s game, as the Hokies won 78–69. Forward Regan Magarity needed to be relied upon heavily, as Virginia Tech was once again without senior leader Sidney Cook for the second consecutive game with a concussion suffered early in last Thursday’s home game. To her credit, Magarity was coming off one of her best games of the year, where she posted 26 points and 16 rebounds. Magarity followed up Sunday’s per for ma nce with another stellar performa nc e, not ch i ng yet another double-double, finishing with 24 points and 14 rebounds. see ACC / page 4

LACROSSE RECAP The No. 19 lacrosse team lost to Elon in overtime, 12–13. page 6

MEGAN MAURY CHURCH food columnist

When McAlister’s Deli opened a new location in Blacksburg last fall, many of us were unfamiliar with the popular southern chain. The chain has been around since 1989, but has opened very few locations outside the Bible Belt. Apart from one deli in New York and one in Pennsylvania, Virginia is the northernmost state on the East Coast with McAlister’s locations.

So what is McAlister’s? One of my coworkers described it as a mix between Sub Station II and Panera. I would add a flare of Cook Out into the mix because McAlister’s is truly southern. Side items on the menu include signature sweet tea, which is in all ways reflective of its Mississippi heritage, and an entire submenu titled Giant Spuds. When explaining this new-tous southern deli to northerners and northern Virginia natives, people who are familiar with McAlister’s

frequently compare it to Panera. For an introduction, this is an adequate comparison, as both are categorized as fast casual restaurants and feature sandwich-heavy menus. However, despite the fundamental similarities between the two, Panera and McAlister’s are far from identical. It’s not comparing apples to apples or apples to oranges; it’s more like comparing apples to apple pie. McAlister’s Deli is the apple. Its see DELI / page 5

ARMAHN RASSULI / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Mississippi-based chain restaurant McAlister’s Deli is located off of Prices Fork Road, March 1, 2017.

SPRING BREAK SANGRIA

Sangria is perfect for every spring break plan. page 5

/CollegiateTimes

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Commodity of the month: COINS recommends diesel

With its versatility and efficiency, Diesel-Heating Oil offers potential to become a stable long-term investment.

COURTESY OF LEE DAVY

column

Parallel universes: More than science fiction Recent phenomenae and research show surprising evidence for the existence of parallel universes. From Anna and Tess’ sudden identity exchange in “Freaky Friday” to the one-day personality switch of London and Maddie from “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” it seems as if the concept of a parallel reality is one that has been used in the media for decades. Of course, trading personas is only an idea that can come to life in works of science fiction and story plots — or is it? What if scientists were to tell you that they gathered empirical evidence and posed logical explanations arguing for the existence of parallel universes? Referred to as a multiverse, astrophysicists, theorists and paranormal consult a nts have scienti f ica l ly supported the coexistence of several universes. Considering everything is made up of waves and that waves all vibrate at their own respective frequencies, and that we can only sense waves that are on the same frequency as ours, the concept of a multiverse has become widely accepted in the world of physics. While this much can be agreed upon, there are multiple theories that cause divides among the scientific community on why and how parallel universes have been formed. Some argue that the Big Bang not only produced the realm we live in today, but released a prolific number of star patches and particles that constitute to other universes that vibrate next to ours. The theory states that if these universes ever happen to overlap, a visible imprint on the outer surface of the two bodies would result. Could this possibly explain experiences like deja vu and alter-vu? Well, it depends on your take on these concepts. Deja vu is the sensation that you’ve already experienced a certain event in the past, and that you’re experiencing it once again. In these situations, individuals may feel as if they can predict what will transpire next. Fringe theorists believe that deja vu can occur when two parallel universes temporarily collide, and the reason we perceive these situations as something we’ve already experienced in the past is because a parallel version of us has — in another universe. Conversely, theoretical physicists argue against this, claiming there’s no significant evidence to prove that contact between universes can cause the sensation of deja vu, and instead relate deja vu to neurological explanations, such as suppressed memory in the hippocampus of the brain or misfiring of neurons. The term alter-vu describes when someone remembers his or her past differently, often due to conflicting memories. This is more commonly referred to today as the Mandela Effect. One of the most common examples of this phenomenon would have to be the spelling of the popular nationwide

children’s TV show, “The Berenstain Bears” — wait … wasn’t it Berenstein? Followers of the children’s series could have sworn that the original spelling of the name held an “e” in place of the “a” that is now shown on all the old books and theme songs of the show they grew up to. Theorists claim that the Mandela Effect is an example of a glimpse into a parallel reality — it’s not that we remember our past incorrectly, but the reason we can no longer find evidence to support it is due to the theory that parallel realities only temporarily collide to leave a permanent change.

“

The theory states that if these universes ever happen to overlap, a visible imprint on the outer surface of the two bodies would result.”

Elizabeth Howell, a contributor to Space.com, outlines conceptual figures to underscore the existence of a multiverse. She states that if it is true that there are an infinite number of cosmic groups, the arrangement of particles within each one must repeat infinitely. This concludes that there are many cosmic groups identical to ours, with people exactly like us. Meanwhile there are also cosmic clusters that are only different by one minuscule particle configuration, multiple cosmic clusters that have two particle configuration differences, and some cosmic patches that are entirely different from the one we reside in. The explanations and theories for the intricacies of a multiverse and its manifestations in the human mind can often seem jumbled and confusing. The truth is that the vast majority of the universe remains unknown, and while there is much more to learn when it comes to particle positions and all the parallel yous wandering around out there, we must try and understand all perspectives of this topic before arriving at our own conclusions. These ideas are quite fascinating, and exploring them can give us a new take on concepts we had always heard of but never quite understood. We all enjoy delving into Stephen King’s novels and passing time watching the “Star Trek” series, but no one would have guessed that there would one day be a possibility of us no longer being part of the audience, but instead on the other side.

nited States Diesel-Heating Oil (UHN), a byproduct of refining crude oil, is COINS’ commodity of the month for the month of March. The majority of the commodity represented by this traded fund is used as fuel in diesel engines for truck transportation, however, other important and useful applications of the fuel include: commercial home heating, diesel engine generators for industrial businesses and hospitals, sea-liner fuel, and mining excavation. Due to the high efficiency of the fuel and the low volatility compared to its gasoline counterpart, diesel makes up a small, yet valuable portion of the industrial sector. How does this impact the consumer? In the intermingled stratum that is the energy sector, many of the oil-byproducts prices such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and kerosene are directly correlated to oil prices; therefore, an increase in byproduct prices can be expected in response to crude oil prices increasing. For many, these volatile commodity prices have little or nothing to do with the dynamic of daily life, or so we thought. The general consumer can relate to these increases and decreases in commodity prices simply by observing the local gas prices and how they fluctuate during seasonal times of the year and in correlation with geopolitical events. At times of high oil prices in the past, plane tickets have seen a spike in price to accommodate the airline companies extra jet fuel costs. Shipping costs are also dependent upon fuel prices because a lot of domestically shipped goods are transported by vehicles that rely on diesel fuel to power their engines. On the other end of the scale, times of low oil prices have pushed consumer gas prices below $2 a gallon. In these situations, though, the consumer has zero capital invested in the world’s oil supply, they are still the direct recipients of the effects generated from the undulation of oil prices. What’s in store for 2017? With almost a quarter of the year already in the rear-view mirror, it is apparent that many international economies, including the powerhouse that is the United States economy, are in for a turbulent year. Markets, both domestic and foreign, have already experienced major fluctuations in stock and future prices in response to impactful geopolitical events. Following through with the promise to cut business regulations, reduce U.S. debt

and improve trade agreements with foreign countries, the newly sworn-in President Trump has made a concerted effort to raise the U.S. Gross Domestic Product from its previous 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016 to his promised 4 percent. Crude oil, the world’s most traded commodity, is one of the most versatile and important substances traded on the commodities market. It has a direct relationship with the trading prices of the many byproducts that come from its refining. The prices of these byproducts are reliant upon several factors, the most impactful being demand by countries for crude oil. Increased demand for crude oil usually indicates economic growth and investment in the country. U.S. and world oil supply, which is mandated by domestic oil policy and OPEC production levels, is another important element in the determination of prices. In 2017, we’ve seen a tremendous effort

“

Due to the high efficiency of the fuel and the low volatility compared to its gasoline counterpart, diesel makes up a ... valuable portion of the industrial sector.”

by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its affiliated countries to cut production to diminish the world oil supply, thus raising the cost of a barrel from its stagnant position of about $53 to a consistent $55 to $60 per barrel. In the beginning months of 2017, OPEC and export analysts have reported that its affiliates have complied to 75 percent and above on the 1.3 million barrel per day cut as agreed upon by OPEC on Nov. 30 to boost crude oil prices. In addition to the production cuts, OPEC had asked that non-OPEC countries, predominantly Russia and the U.S., cut production an additional 600,000 barrels per day. It is with the culmination of these efforts that the global oil market, especially OPEC members, hope to soon see a significant improvement in the price of oil.

STANLEY CAMPBELL • opinions contributor • sophomore/chemical engineering

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Cadet’s fall off Cascades is cushioned by Hokie spirit The Hokie community has raised over $10,000 to support cadet Chris Elmer after a fall off of the Cascades. LIBBY HOWE Corps of Cadets reporter

Facing months of recovery and thousands in medical bills after a 60-foot fall at the top of the Cascades hike, junior ROTC cadet Chris Elmer felt the full force of the Hokie community’s commitment to Ut Prosim. This past Saturday, Elmer was rescued from the rocks above Cascade Falls with a broken right leg, compound fracture in his left arm and other injuries. Several hours passed before he was flown by helicopter to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. “I saw him fall. It was pretty bad,” said Mike Magill, junior meteorology major. “I had just showed up so he was waving to me, and then he turned around and started to walk back. That’s when he actually slipped is when he turned. That’s when he fell.” Magill described the hours that followed the fall. “It took two hours for the first paramedics to get there, and then they had to call out even more people because he was on the other side of the pool. They had to call rope experts and people that specialized in slippery rocks. He was without pain medicine or treatment for three hours before getting airlifted from the parking lot area.” Mike Selander, senior landscape contracting major and executive officer of Elmer’s company in the Corps described his reaction to hearing news of the accident. “I was taking a nap and (Nathan) Sipantzi came in saying Chris fell off the top of the Cascades. I just assumed the worst from the start. When I found out he was stable, it was great to hear.” Selander also mentioned the efficiency with which the Corps handled the information. “It was good to see how the Corps handled it. Captain (James) Snyder, (Corps Residential Learning Coordinator) Ms. Alderson, they were very professional in handling this information. That was awesome to see,” Selander said.

COURTESY OF JAKE YANCEY Chris Elmer, a Virginia Tech student and Corps of Cadets member, fell from the rocks above Cascade Falls, sustaining serious, but non-life-threatening injuries on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017.

Both Magill and Selander have visited Elmer since Saturday and describe an overall positive attitude. “He’s in an incredible state of mind,” Selander said. “After what happened, he’s still cracking jokes and stuff. He’s smiling with a neck brace and broken bones, still just cheesing,” Magill added. This positivity comes as no surprise to those who know Elmer and have worked with him in the Corps, such as his company commander, senior mechanical engineering major Sipantzi. “Elmer’s a great guy. He’s probably one of the nicest, friendliest, outgoing people in the company. He would do anything for anyone, works hard, never complains. He’s a great influence on the company, everyone loves him,” Sipantzi said. “I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like him,” Magill added. “He just brings a smile to everybody’s face. He’s really, truly a great guy.”

Elmer’s positive attitude, even after this accident, has been reciprocated by the Hokie community in the form of overwhelming financial support. “I woke up from a nap the next day, because I nap a lot, and saw that there was a Tilt. I saw the goal was $10,000, and I thought that it was ambitious, but as soon as I opened it, it was already at $2,000. In the next five hours they met the goal. Now we’re close to doubling the initial goal,” Selander said. Jake Yancey, a fellow cadet who initiated the Tilt page, described Elmer’s situation in his written introduction. “Chris is a junior Army cadet here at VT and a close friend of many. He recently had a very severe accident where he slipped and fell 60 feet down the Cascades waterfall. Miraculously, Chris had no life threatening injuries, however he will incur a hefty medical bill after a week long stay in the hospital, airlift, multiple surgeries and the extended care he will need

after his hospital stay. Chris has a single mom and we really hope to alleviate any financial burden that this would put on her and Chris. Our goal is to cover a large portion of their medical expenses. Please consider giving whatever amount you feel compelled to give. Any amount is appreciated!” the introduction read.

“

It’s an incredible communal get together behind this kid who we all just love ... it restored my faith in humanity.”

Mike Selander executive officer of Elmer’s company

“Jake Yancey actually started it, and he said he wanted to ask for $10,000,” Magill explained. “I was thinking the same thing, that’s kind of asking a lot, but you never know what’s going to happen. We may be

asking a lot, but if it can help Chris’ family that’s what really matters.” While the Tilt was initially only being circulated among family and friends, as soon as it was shared on Facebook, support came flooding in by the thousands. “We were only reaching out to people we knew via text and family members, and as soon as we posted it on Facebook to all our friends it took off immediately,” Magill said. “It started getting so many shares. I think it went up $1,000 within 30 minutes as soon as we posted it on Facebook.” “It’s an incredible communal gettogether behind this kid who we all just love, and it restored my faith in humanity,” Selander commented. “It speaks volumes about the Hokie community, and how we actually really care about each other. We speak about Ut Prosim, but obviously we’re actually out here living it, which is really awesome. It’s heartwarming to see. And it’s still going, which is insane,” Magill added. Selander emphasized the importance of ensuring this level of support continues on past this initial phase of Elmer’s recovery. “A big thing we need to focus on is, right now he’s getting a lot of support, and that’s great. It just happened, it’s fresh in everyone’s minds, but he’s going to have a long recovery process. We’ve got to keep support going his way through the hard times to come in the next months when he’s really getting back on his feet and doing rehab,” Selander said. Elmer’s mother Stephanie Lawler expressed her gratitude for the Hokie community’s outreach. “To the overwhelming amount of students that have reached out to me, to Christian and to the family, it has been appreciated, and we can’t thank them enough,” Lawler said. Lawler says that Elmer will return to take classes at Virginia Tech in the fall of 2017. @yourlenny

ROBBERY: Thief caught on ESCHER: Robot’s likability is camera, security prevails determined by aesthetic from page 1

footage shows the burglar entering a room in the mosque, removing his shoes and looking side to side as he walks further into the building. Still images reveal the man’s face up-close and show him using a small tool to manipulate metal boxes attached to a wall.

“

Having grown up in the community ... I think that the large majority are good people.”

Islamic Society of New River Valley member

The footage was shared with the Blacksburg Police Department, with which the ISNRV has built a friendly

and supportive relationship. X recalled past incidents when the mosque worked with the police: a robbery that occurred years ago, multiple instances of vandalism and the loss of regular attendee Waleed Mohamed Shaalan in the April 16 shootings. “That relationship, it’s a long-standing relationship. We trust the police and we know that at least the Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech police are very helpful,” X said. Blacksburg police have also worked to proactively stop crime against the Muslim community. X said that when prejudice-based incidents “around the globe or around the country are happening that will increase the likelihood of an incident happening here,” the police have bolstered their presence and patrols around the mosque area. “The Blacksburg Police

Depa r tment str ives to maintain a good relationship with all our citizens,” said Blacksburg Police Lieutenant Mike Albert in an email to the Collegiate Times. A lb er t de cl i ne d to comment on the investigation as the case remains active. “Having grown up in this community, and knowing what I know about the New River Valley and people in this area, I think that the large majority are good people,” X said. “We’d like to thank the community for always being there for us. That’s law enforcement, that’s members of the community, other religious groups and groups that are non-religious groups. They’re always supporting us.”

from page 1

also contributed to making an effective exterior paneling that was visually appealing. They had to ensure the robot would be visually appealing and comfortable for humans to work with. “There’s actually studies that show the more a human likes the appearance of a robot, the nicer they will treat it,” Dee said. “You’d want it to be familiar, but appropriate. You’d want it to feel like a firefighting robot.” The team had to design different materials that could potentially serve as protective paneling, as well as test them for their fall and impact resistance. Once the initial research was complete, they began

working with graduate students at Virginia Tech in creative technologies. The team looked at car and motorcycle designs to create mood boards and studied color theory research to determine which colors would be most appropriate for a firefighting robot. They decided on naval colors and added orange to not only represent hazard, but also Virginia Tech. The paneling prototypes were created using Virginia Tech’s 3D printers and printers from outside manufacturers. The 3D printing allowed for more alterations and mistakes, as in the case of error the team could simply print a new panel. To produce the actual paneling for the ESCHER robot, the team will work

with advanced material company NanoSonic Inc., and with Virginia Tech’s fashion department to produce resistant fabrics, on top of which the robot’s hard panels would be bolted. “One reason I love working at Virginia Tech is there are opportunities for things I didn’t even think I would be doing,” Dee said of her experience with the ESCHER robot. “I really like the interdisciplinary collaboration that’s possible here. I think this was really an exemplary project of art coming together with technology. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of it, and I think this a good showcase of the potential our school has.” @CollegiateTimes

@WithTheFancyGuy

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Masjid Al-Ihsan, located at 1284 North Main St., was reportedly robbed Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017.

with it a 20 percent of trace amounts of snow and rainfall and colder air through the day Friday. With highs in the upper 30s on Friday, make sure to bring a jacket for the walk to class. As classes end Friday and spring break begins, it will not feel much like spring with overnight lows on Friday in the lower 20s. Another high pressure system pushes into the area Saturday through Sunday. Saturday will see highs in the mid-40s and sunny skies, however, the cold air remains with lows only reaching the upper 20s Saturday night. Sunday will feel more like spring with highs in the low 60s with sunny skies and lows in the low 40s as we prepare for another frontal system expected to move into the area early next week. Be sure to follow @HOKIEwxWATCH for any updates!

strong cold front moves through our area this afternoon into night, bringing with it the chance for severe thunderstorms today. Our area was under a severe thunderstorm watch through 5 p.m. this afternoon. As the rain continues overnight, we will see lows remain in the lower 40s. By Thursday morning, a high-pressure system will begin building in our area, bringing sunny skies and cooler weather. Our high on Thursday will remain in the upper 40s with lows in the lower 30s. However, the sunny skies will not last for JESSICA SUGGS long, as a cold air system pushes into our weather correspondent area through Friday morning bringing @HOKIEwxWATCH

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ACC: Women’s basketball exits tournament early

Edwards missed the first of two shots, but she recomposed herself and drained the second shot to give Clemson a 67–66 lead and ultimately the game. Edwards scored the final five points of the game for Clemson and led the team in scoring — finishing with 17 points on the day. Chanette Hicks complemented Magarity’s strong stat line with 20 points of her own, five assists and three steals. The sophomore finishes the season with 109 steals, eclipsing the singleseason school record that she had previously set last year (91). Wednesday afternoon’s loss knocks the Hokies’ out of the ACC tournament in the first round for the second consecutive year, after falling to 14-seed Boston College last year. However, Virginia Tech and first year head coach Kenny Brooks will still hold onto the possibility of making the Women’s NIT tournament for the second straight season.

@noToddiusBIG

BEN WEIDLICH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Chanette Hicks (12) attempts a layup after eluding Virginia guard J’Kyra Brown (10) during the second half in Cassell Coliseum, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017.

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Unfortunately, her game on Wednesday will most likely be remembered for the foul she committed with 3.9 seconds left in the game. The game between the Hokies and Tigers started out similar to how much of it would go, with both teams trading shots and, mostly misses, back and forth. Virginia Tech led 13–9 after the first quarter that was characterized by cold shooting from everyone on the floor, as the two teams combined to shoot just 27 percent. The second quarter began in the same way, before the Hokies went on the first big run of the game. A 14–2 run gave Virginia Tech a 29–15 lead midway through the quarter. The Tigers, however, promptly responded with a 15–3 run of their own, capped off by a three-pointer at the buzzer by guard Victoria Cardaci. The run cut the lead to just two points, with the Hokies leading 32–30. Magarity finished the half with 15 points and seven rebounds, but was matched

by Clemson’s Nelly Perry, who had 13 points of her own. The absence of Cook began to rear its ugly head in the third quarter when Virginia Tech’s lack of depth began to show. Freshman Kaela Kinder, sophomore Erinn Brooks and senior Tara Nahodil all provided minutes off the bench, however, they were limited at best. The trio played a total of 23 minutes combined, putting a large strain on the starting five. Clemson took over the lead in the third quarter, but could not take full control over the game, allowing the Hokies the chance to hang around. Clemson built its lead to as many as eight with five and a half minutes left, but Virginia Tech continued to respond with shots of their own, tying the game three times in the final minutes. However, they could not get over the final obstacle. Tied at 66 with 3.9 seconds to go, Clemson sophomore Danielle Edwards was fouled by Magarity and headed to the line with a chance to win the game for the Tigers. Tensions mounted after

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WORDSEARCH: U.S. STATES Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

W A

W T

W A

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N WORD BANK U 1 California 2 Pennsylvania B 3 New York F 4 Florida N 5 Texas 6 Virginia N 7 Delaware E 8 Nevada O 9 Washington 10 Arizona U 11 Alabama A 12 Kansas D 13 Georgia 14 Oklahoma N 15 Hawaii W 16 Alaska 17 Montana E 18 Colorado F

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March 2, 2017 PAGE 5

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DELI: McAlister’s southern food worth the money from page 1

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ARMAHN RASSULI

Scheming for a date: A week by week guide to stalking a date for formals The countdown to formals has begun, which means it is time to start looking for a date. Fear not, we have laid this process out week by week just for you. Week Two

GRETCHEN KERNBACH lifestyles staff writer

The beginning of March starts the countdown until formals. Whether the official event is the first, second or third week of April, now is the time to start scheming for a date. Going to a big school means you do have to get a little creative when it comes to securing that special someone. Let’s put it this way: starting now, you have four weeks to reel in that one person you’ve been eyeing all semester. And nothing is going to happen if you sit back and keep doing nothing. I am here to help you attain a date to formals, week by week.

Week One

Let’s call this the research phase. Have you ever run into your potential date at a dining hall? In a building? Crossing the Drillfield? If you have — good. Now make it your God-given duty to be at that same spot and the same time every day. Very good. This is what we will call giving yourself the opportunity to catch his or her eye. Yeah, some may call it “stalking” or “following,” but what else are you going to do? This way, you are giving yourself the chance to say hi to them every once in a while, maybe even start some small talk. Another aspect of the research phase: find out what organizations this person is involved in. That’s nothing a quick Google or Facebook search cannot get done. Consequently, like I mentioned above, just show up there. It gives you the opportunity to talk to them and pretend like you are interested in the same things.

The social media phase. Considering that you don’t have their number yet, give them a quick add on Snapchat, Facebook or Instagram. Not Twitter though, following someone on Twitter is weird now. Whether you are feeling risky or super risky, only add this person on one or two social media platforms. If you go for all three, your cover is blown. Let me remind you, the key is to come off like a normal person (even though after the research phase we both know you aren’t). What is to come from this? I’d advise you to give their posts a like now and then, let them know you notice them. Reiterating what I said above, do not “creepy comment” on their posts and force them to block you.

Week Three

The invitation phase. I consider week three to be the most crucial of the four phases. You are officially testing the waters, trying to figure out if this potential date wants anything to do with you or not. Therefore, it is time to invite him or her somewhere, anywhere. I’m talking about lunch at Turner, sitting together in class, hanging out on the Drillfield or going to a party together. However, it is important that you make this invite sound casual — no strings attached. College students these days will jump ship at any hint of commitment. You are simply dangling a poison apple in front of their eyes. You are the cat and they are the mouse. Now, you will know to abandon ship if one of three things happens. One, they actually flat out decline your invite. Two,

they ask if their boyfriend or girlfriend can tag along. Three, they say yes and then do not show.

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You are simply dangling a poison apple in front of their eyes. You are the cat and they are the mouse.”

If any of these occur, give up on any hope of asking them to formals. However, if you do receive that magical yes, don’t mess it up. Simply take them out for a good time and sneakily lure them into your trap.

Week Four

So you have creeped on their schedule, seeped into their social media and have now hung out together. If hanging out wasn’t awkward, or if you didn’t make a fool of yourself, week four is your last shot to secure your date. If by week three, you don’t have their phone number, get it somehow. Fake sick, pretend your dog died, fail a test — do something that gives you a reason to text him or her. In the conversation lies your chance to pop the question. When you ask, do not sound demanding or desperate. And when they say yes, do your best to hide the fact that you haven’t been stalking them for the past month. @CollegiateTimes

focus is clear: sandwiches with a southern twist. Panera is apple pie; it dabbles in many things like fresh bread, baked goods, paninis, soups, bread bowls, salads and artisan teas. There is nothing wrong with apple pie, everyone loves apple pie, but it is essentially an apple with a heaping side of extra. This difference in variety is clear from the moment you walk into the restaurants. Panera welcomes customers with a full bakery case, a feature that is not included in the McAlister’s business model. The menu board in Panera is divided into many sections including bagels, coffee, salads, sides, soups and combinations. Before I was familiar with Panera, I found its menu overwhelming. McAlister’s menu display makes it clear that if you have come to the restaurant, you are there for a sandwich. The main panels are mostly dedicated to this signature item, divided by meat and type; the other items like salads, sides and spuds are given less of a spotlight. Now that the Blacksburg location has been around for the majority of a semester, many students and locals have formed their own opinions about it. Most student reviews can be summed up in three words: good but expensive. However, I counter that the prices at McAlister’s Deli, though higher than Panera, are more worthwhile. The portion sizes are much larger. I have yet to get a sandwich that did not challenge my

ability to finish it in one sitting. I have also not had a sandwich from McAlister’s that wasn’t amazing. There is a sizeable list of things I will not eat, including celery, peppers, pork and red meat, and yet I’ve been able to choose from a variety of menu items to my taste.

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I have yet to get a sandwich that did not challenge my ability to finish it in one sitting.”

A p oi nt against McAlister’s Deli is the lack of vegetarian options, but maybe this is not surprising of a chain that originated in the deepest part of the American South. Its menu does designate which options are meat-free, but this selection is sparse. Even most of their salads contain some form of meat. But let’s talk about something the south does well: dessert. Cheesecake and cookies and cake — oh my! If you do not break the bank on your entree, try one of the desserts, it is worth it. All in all, this chain lived up to the expectations my southern friends helped me build. While the prices are not ones that I want to spend on fast food often, it is definitely a nice treat on pay day. I give McAlister’s four and one-quarter stars out of five. @CollegiateTimes

ARMAHN RASSULI / COLLEGIATE TIMES Panera Bread, a bakery off of University City Boulevard, March 1, 2017.

Sangria: Every recipe you need for spring break

Whether you will be on the beach or on the couch, whether you like sweet or sour — we have the sangria recipe for you. KATELYN MEADE ASHLEY WILLS assistant lifestyles editor news reporter

Spring break is upon us. And whether you are heading down to spend a week on white sand beaches in Mexico, sticking around Blacksburg or heading home — students finally get a chance to relax and that is worth celebrating. In light of this, sangria is a must for this coming week. There are infinite possibilities when it comes to sangria, considering you can mix any wine, liquor, juice, soda and fruit together and call it sangria. The mission here was to find the best and most unique sangrias using all of the wine that we had on hand: a cabernet, a pinot grigio, a rose and Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple. Bonus points if you understand the TV references used to create the drink names.

you picturing yourself on a faraway beach, drinking this sangria from a coconut and getting fanned by a giant leaf.

The Pineapple Incident

This sangria is the sweetest of the bunch, but it definitely packs a punch. This is made with Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Apple, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Ole Smoky Huckleberry Moonshine (you can get these at the

ABC store), orange juice and ginger ale, then topped with mint, mandarin oranges, strawberries and, most importantly, pineapple. The combination of the sweet apple wine and the sweet huckleberry moonshine makes it the dangerous kind of drink that you just can’t put down. Adding the Captain Morgan gives it a bit of a kick, making it not overly sweet. Word of caution: this drink will get you drunk quickly, but at the end of the day — it was worth it.

The Gladiator

This deep-red drink packs all the punch you crave in a sangria. This is made with Bay Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon (also only $2.99 a bottle at Kroger), Bacardi dragonberry rum, apple juice and sprite, then topped with plums and limes. This sangria blends many different flavors together. All of these flavors come together to make a very pleasant drink. However, this sangria is not for the faint of heart. This one was

Peach Puzzles

This sangria is everything that you want a sangria to taste like: sweet, fruity and light. This was originally going to be made with a sweeter wine, but the dryness of the pinot grigio gives it the perfect sweetness, while still not being overpowering. This is made with Bay Bridge Pinot Grigio (only $2.99 a bottle at Kroger), peach schnapps, Ocean Spray White CranStrawberry Juice and ginger ale, then topped off with peaches, raspberry and lime. The combination of wine and fruity alcohol will have Ingredients used to create the sangria you need this spring break.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAT PIPER

definitely the strongest of them all. The plums add a lot of flavor, and you will find yourself digging the plum pieces from the bottom of the glass at the end.

Justice Beaver

This rose sangria was pleasantly sour. Made with Bay Bridge White Zinfandel (just $2.99), Tanqueray gin (but you could certainly use whatever gin you prefer), cranberry juice and sprite, then topped with lime and raspberries, this sangria will leave you puckering. The strongest flavor in this drink is definitely the gin, but all of the other flavors complement the gin nicely and everything comes together great in the glass. This sangria would be perfect whether you’re laying by the ocean or laying in your ENO on the Drillfield this spring break. Overall, these sangrias have a good range from super sweet to kind of sour, so one of these sangrias is bound to float your boat and fit your mood. If you like the sweet drinks, then Peach Puzzles and The Pineapple Incident make for the perfect spring break drink for you (or something to help you get through a rough week, it’s up to you). If you like life on the drier side, then the Gladiator and Justice Beaver are the perfect drinks to have while to relaxing by the beach.

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Hokies homer their way to victory over Highlanders The No. 19 Tech baseball team scored its final five runs via home run for a 9–7 comeback win against Radford. NATHAN LOPRETE baseball beat reporter

Fresh off their series win over Nevada, the Hokies found themselves ranked for the first time since 2013. The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper ranked Virginia Tech No. 19 in its latest poll. Playing their fifth game in five days, the Hokies got off to a rough start but settled in as the game progressed. Behind three more home runs, coach Mason’s squad improved to 8–1 with a 9–7 victory over Radford. In the second inning with a man on, Radford catcher Straton Podaras doubled to left center and the Highlanders took the 1–0 lead off of Hokie starter Connor Coward. That was the first run that Coward had surrendered this season. Stevie Mangrum led the home half of the inning off with a double that Radford center fielder Luke Wise was unable to track down. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from Joe Freiday Jr., the Hokies turned to their No. 9 hitter Rahiem Cooper who had just been named as the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball. Cooper blooped a double into shallow right field and Mangrum raced around to score. In the third inning, Highlander Adam Whitacre popped up in the infield. First baseman Sam Fragale collided with a teammate while making the catch. He seemed to have taken a hit to the face and was taken off the field. After the game, Mason confirmed that Fragale had

actually injured his thumb and that X-rays were negative. He is scheduled to see an orthopedic doctor tomorrow. Fragale who is hitting .441 is a big piece to the Hokies’ lineup. Radford took a 2–1 lead in the inning on three hits but Coward was able to strand two runners and end the threat. Virginia Tech responded in the bottom of the third. Ryan Tufts doubled to lead things off and Tom Stoffel drove him in with a single. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Mangrum gave Tech the 3–2 lead with a fielder’s choice RBI. The fourth inning was rough for the Hokies’ defense. Radford led the frame off with two singles. An error by Coward tied the game and an error later in the inning by Matt Dauby gave the Highlanders the lead. Coward went 4.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned). While it wasn’t a dominating start like the week before against Marshall, Mason still saw good things from junior. “He was having trouble putting away guys. His changeup was pretty good and his fastball was good. We didn’t play defense behind him. We asked him to throw a lot more pitches than he needed to,” Mason said. In the bottom of the fifth, Stoffel led things off with a single. Following a JD Mundy single and a walk from Mangrum, the bases were loaded for Freiday. A wild pitch from Cameron Fritz scored the tying run. Freiday still had a chance to give the Hokies the lead and he

did. On a 2–2 count he drove a ball deep to left that cleared the wall. It was his third of the year and gave Tech a 7–4 lead. He talked about his approach with the game tied. “Most of the time my plan is just to get a fastball and bang it. I grinded it out a little bit and got to two strikes so I got a little short and found some barrel and it got over the wall,” Freiday said. Freiday also talked about the power surge that has taken over the lineup. Virginia Tech began the week leading the nation in home runs (20). “Most people want to focus on getting the barrel to the ball,” Freiday said. “With the strength we’ve got and the power we’ve got on this team it’s going to find itself over the wall every now and then. I guess a lot this season. It’s a really good feeling to see these guys succeed the way they are.” The Hok ies defense tightened up in the sixth inning. Danny Hrbek led the inning off with a ground ball up the middle. Dauby took a couple of steps and made a diving stop to prevent the leadoff man from reaching. Tufts added insurance in the sixth inning with his fourth home run of the year. The Hokies shortstop went 3–5 on the day with two runs scored. The power kept coming in the seventh when Mundy went deep, making it 9–4. With his family in the crowd, the Roanoke native who came in for Fragale, went 2–3 at the plate. He talked about the importance of always being ready to contribute. “I was just ready for

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Kristine Loscalzo (24) shoots the game tying goal against Elon to make the score 12–12. The Hokies lost in overtime 13–12, March 1, 2017.

Lacrosse forces overtime against Elon, loses 13–12 Tristan McGinley scored the game-tying goal with four seconds remaining, but Elon prevailed in overtime. JORDAN HUTCHINSON with four seconds remaining. protesting a goal late in the lacrosse beat reporter

T he Vi rgi n ia Tech lacrosse team lost in a heartbreaking fashion against the Elon Phoenix, 13–12 (OT). The loss knocks Tech down to 6–2 on the season, both losses coming to teams in the “receiving votes” category of the rankings. Tech’s fourgame winning streak, the longest such streak since 2011, was broken in the loss against Elon. “We grinded back into it, but we made too many critical errors,” said head coach John Sung. “Losing is obviously a tough thing to swallow at the time, but we’re going to have a lot of great film to break down to really see what we can improve on.” The Hok ies trailed 12–8 with 5:05 to go when Tristan McGinley ignited a comeback. Tech rattled off three goals in three minutes, with the final goal scored

The ball bounced off of Elon goalie Rachel Ramirez’s stick and dribbled in, in what seemed like slow motion. Many Tech football players were in attendance and went berserk after the game-tying goal, which forced overtime. Overtime wasn’t good to the Hokies as Elon scored the sudden-death goal to win the game. Elon moves to 5–1 on the season, and will most likely be ranked in next week’s poll. Midfielder Mary Claire Byrne and attacker Emma Harden led the Hokies with three goals on Wednesday. R ig ht b eh i nd By r ne and Harden were Zan Biedenharn and Kristine Loscalzo with a pair of goals each. Goalie Meagh Graham recorded eight saves on 31 shots faced. T he off iciati ng on Wednesday night was in question regularly, on both sides. At one point, both coaches were on the field

game. “We have to control what we can control. We always talk about that with our kids, but I thought we showed our youth. We let the officials control our emotions and good teams don’t do that,” Sung said. Next up for Virginia Tech is a road game at No. 9 Duke. The Hokies have never defeated Duke, as they’re 0–19 against the Blue Devils. Duke is 4–1 on the year with its sole loss coming to Notre Dame, 12–11. “You know this was a stepping stone. I guess if we lose the Wednesday to win the Saturday, I’m okay with that,” Sung said, jokingly referring to the JMU-Boston College sequence earlier in the year. The game in Raleigh starts Saturday at 1 p.m. @JHutchinsonVT

CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Kit Scheetz (9) pitches at the baseball game against Notre Dame, March 25, 2016.

my number to be called. It’s a tough injury, but you just have to ready to go play,” Mundy said. His performance also captured the attention of Mason who spoke about it after the game. “You never know when your number is going to be called. For a freshman to be ready to play and produce on top of that, he did a great job,” Mason said. Virginia Tech got solid relief from Kit Scheetz, who relieved Coward. In the eighth inning, Radford mounted a comeback and Tech chose to go to Graham Seitz after it made it 9–5. Scheetz went three innings and earned his second win of the year. A two-run double by Richard De la Cruz made it a two run game. While trying to

stretch his hit to a triple, De la Cruz over slid the bag and Jack Owens applied the tag. Aaron McGarity came in to close the game out in the ninth, and following a leadoff single, he got locked in. After striking out the next two hitters, McGarity got Hrbek to fly out to Cooper. Mason talked about McGarity, who has been very good for the Hokies in lategame situations and has picked up three saves already. “I thought earlier in the year he was a little jumpy, maybe a little anxious. I don’t know if it was adrenaline or mechanics from not having pitched in a while,” Mason said. “He seems to have settled in. He’s just a cool customer out there. He throws strikes and he trusts his stuff. He looks a lot better today

than he did a week ago, and I thought he looked pretty good ago a week ago.” Mason also spoke about the offense that continues to get production from different players. “You need to have a lineup that can produce 1–9,” Mason said. “To get production out of the bottom of the order is essential.” Virginia Tech improves to 8–1 and will get to rest up before it hosts a four-game series against Binghamton this weekend. Game one is slated for Friday at 3 p.m. There will be a doubleheader on Saturday and the series will wrap up on Sunday. @natejloprete